Here’s another question that’s generated many an entertaining (and creative) response from visitors to our store’s "graffiti stall." Have at it!
If you could take up residence in (as in, live inside the plot and setting of) any one book, what title would you choose?
Two choices: My elementary-school self would want to be a Penderwick. My high-school self would want to live in AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES, or maybe THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS. (I guess that was three choices, huh.)
Robin McKinley’s Damar.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Next door to Madeleine L’Engle’s Vicky Austin, preferably in MEET THE AUSTINS.
Seek, by Paul Fleischman. They’re such smart, interesting, fun people who love each other — I vastly prefer that to great adventure. Though I think I could be pretty happy in Diana Wynne Jones’s Chrestomanci-verse as well.
As an adult it would be Raymond Chandler’s THE BIG SLEEP. As a kid it would be TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. But if tickets to those destinations are unavailable, I could make do with a drive through Norton Juster’s THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH.
It’s a three-way tie for me as well . . . between L. Frank Baum’s “The Road to Oz” (in Ozma’s emerald palace), C. S. Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” (in Mr. Tumnus’ cozy cave), and J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” (in Bilbo’s beloved “Bag End”).
I would want to be a fire witch in the Enchanted Forest in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles seies by Patricia C. Wrede. Yeah, I’ve actually thought about this.
Ah, this is your easiest question ever. It would have to be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory–after the Bucket family moves into the Wonka factory. What more could you need than a chocolate river and a magic elevator?
Whoops! I meant Enchanted Forest Chronicles SERIES.
Sherry SS, Your answer is the same one I gave (in response to my own question!) on our bathroom graffiti wall. I’m now thinking, though, that I’d like to be an outlaw girl with a cute law-abiding boyfriend in a world populated by robots, a la Daisy Kutter. After all, the adventure at Willy Wonka’s factory turned out to be LESS than fun for all of Charlie’s companions! Wouldn’t want to meet Veruca Salt’s end, for example.
The Italian villa in Enchanted April
I would like to join Karana on the Island of the Blue Dolphins.
I’d want to live in the world of Jasper Fforde’s The Eyre Affair. That way, I could chose at any time to enter any other fictional world I wanted!
Oh, Lisa, you cheater! What a clever solution!
I would have to say maybe Cornelia Funke’s version of Venice in the Thief Lord. It would be so fun to stay in the Stella with Prosper and Bo and Scipio and all the others. And going along with the Roald Dahl theme, I’d have to go for a spin in that snazzy peach via James and the Giant Peach. Oops, I picked two as well.
My favorite book when I was young was The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (sadly out of print). The main character, Robin, had a secret passageway to a huge stone mansion. She would sneak in and read for hours in the tower library which was completely lined in pink velvet. I always wanted to hang out in that plush library surrounded by books!
Hmmm… I’m loving Fablehaven right now- a garden full of fairies! I’d also love to live in the Four Story Mistake with the Melendys.
Walden.
I completely agree about Patricia Wrede’s The Enchanted Forest Chronicles – my favorite books when I was younger (or maybe ever). In the Enchanted Forest…probably in Morwen’s house, so I could have multiple rooms behind one door, and her library.
Bleak House. But only if I could marry John Jarndyce.
Hmmm…My child self would probably have loved to discover Narnia with Digory & Polly. My inner adult self often lives in the Outlander books by Gabaldon.
I am so happy that someone else remembers The Melendys! It was the first book (ok, trilogy) that I literally crawled inside and never wanted to come out.
Definitely the Underland from the Gregor books by Suzanne Collins.
Mary Ann, did you know that there is a fourth book in the Melendy series- “A Spiderweb for Two?” It’s been reprinted along with the other three books. I love them!
That’s easy! And old children’s series book, MOUNTAIN PONY, by Henry V Larom. It was the 1st book in a 4 part series (I still have ’em all). First time I read it was 4th grade. I knew before then I wanted to write fiction, but that was the book that was the catalyst, the book that has always reminded me why I love fiction, why I love reading, why I love writing, and why I love horses. A very close second choice would be another old children’s book, TROUBLE CREEK by Jo Sykes. I’m thrilled to have that one in my library, too, and like the MOUNTAIN PONY series, I try to reread it every year.
As a kid I would have killed to live in Terhune’s Sunnybank with Lad, Wolf and the rest of the courageous collies. Before Lassie, there was Lad, A Dog. As an adult, I would happily live in any of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover novels, as long as I was in one of the seven laren-gifted families!
I’m gonna go with Shannon Hale’s land of Bayern. This, of course, is provided that I get the gift of Wind Speaking.